Andy Chalk said:
As grown-up gamers (more or less), it's easy to say that this is an awesome name and the kid is lucky to have it. It's different when you're actually a five-year-old kid trying to deal with it. I hope it works out for the kid, that all his friends think the name is as awesome as most of us do and that when people ask him about it, he's able to tell them with a straight face that it's Nord - the old tongue, of course.
I also think the idea that it'll end up shortened to "Dave" is hilarious. Dave the dragon-slayer.
If I was this kid, once I was old enough, I'd carrying around a digital recording of Max von Sydow saying "Dovahkiin" wherever I went. "What's your name?"
"DOVAHKIIN!"
Eh, but at the same time the way it sounds at least makes it seem like a significant name. It's easily shortened (Dov, David, whatever), and off the top of my head I can't think of any real insults that could be made of it. If kids make fun of him, let it be for the content of his character, not the characters in his name. Hell, just say it's Nordic and relate yourself to kickass vikings, that'll give you some immunity.
I mean, I have a pretty odd name myself, at least to Americans, and I've never really gotten too much flak for it at all. Personal anecdote, sure, but still. Then again, much of my school is populated by people from foreign decent, so it might not be too odd here. I also think we are overestimating the cruelty of children in this situation, to the point where we think that all kids do is think of names to insult people with "asshole" in it ("Hey,
fagakiin! How you like your dragons?" or "Yo, dovah
pussy, you're stupid!" or something)
